Someone is Watching
by Kathey0607
Summary: When Mike Stoker moves in to a new apartment, he struggles to decide weather or not he should get involved with his neighbor. But when the neighbor comes to his rescue, he realizes she really needs a friend who is willing to get involved.
1. Chapter 1

**Someone is Watching**

**In this Emergency story Mike Stoker is single.**

When Mike Stoker moves in to a new apartment, he struggles to decide weather or not he should get involved with his neighbor. But when the neighbor comes to his rescue, he realizes she really needs a friend who is willing to get involved.

Protecting children from abuse and neglect is a community responsibility. Most adults want to help children and their families, but are unsure how to get involved. Often, it can be as simple as helping out a neighbor who needs a break by watching his or her child for a few hours. At other times, you may have more serious worries or suspicions that a child may have already been harmed or neglected. Figuring out next steps can be a difficult and confusing process. What is most important is to not let discomfort and confusion interfere with helping children be safe, even if you must reach out to others for professional help.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

**Moving**

The Men of A-shift at station fifty-one where all gathered in the locker room changing into their street clothing.

"Remember guys, I need you to help me move tomorrow." Mike said, "You come and provide the labor and I'll provide the doughnuts and the beer."

"What time do you want us there?" Marco asked.

"Meet at my apartment around nine o'clock in the morning."

Johnny, Roy, Marco and Chet all promised to that they would be there.

Mike hurried straight home from the station and got back to work packing boxes and cleaning his old apartment. He wanted the place to look good when he left because he really needed to get the deposit back. He didn't want to move, but his apartment complex had sold and the new landlord raised the rent. Whether he liked it or not, he couldn't afford to stay.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

At nine o'clock the next morning Roy showed up ready to work. He knocked on Mike's door and waited. It took a minute for Mike to get to the door. He had been up late packing and had over slept. As he made a groggy dash for the door he tripped over one of the boxes resulting in a loud crash followed by a few curse words. When he opened the door, he saw Roy standing there with a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, come on in." Mike opened the door allowing Roy to come on inside. "Give me a minute to get dressed." Mike said as he headed back to his bedroom and pulled on the clothing he had worn the day before because it was quick and easy. He was just coming out of his room when the door bell ranged again. Roy answered the door and welcomed Chet and Marco in.

"Where are the Doughnuts?" Chet inquired after making a quick scan of the packed boxes stacked along the walls. And the empty counter in the kitchen.

"Sorry guy's I over slept." He turned to Roy and asked. "Would you go to the store for me?" And he held out a twenty dollar bill for Roy to take.

"Hey for twenty bucks I'll go to the store for yah." Chet said as he made a grab for the money in Mike's hand. Roy took the bill first though to ensure that Mike would get the change back. After Roy left Mike instructed Chet and Marco to start loading boxes into Chet's Van.

Just as Roy returned with the doughnuts and beer, Johnny pulled in up. "Way to go partner, show up just as the food gets here."

Chet and Johnny quickly converged on the doughnuts with the other's getting some too. After the doughnuts were gone they got back to work. About and hour later Chet's van and Johnny's Rover and Mikes pickup were filled. They convoyed, with Mike leading the way, to his new apartment. Quickly parking their vehicles they followed Mike up a flight of stairs to his new apartment. While Mike was unlocking the door, his friends looked around. This move was defiantly a down grade from the apartment Mike was leaving.

"Is this the best you could find?" Chet said shaking his head.

"Hey, the apartment is clean, not too far away from work, and the price fit's my budget. If you don't like it you don't have to visit." Mike said. He opened the front door and the guys filed in to take a look. Just as Johnny was stepping into the empty apartment he caught sight of a little girl watching them through the window next door. Her hair was light brown and un-combed and she had big brown eyes. Putting on his best smile he waved to the little girl but she quickly ducked out of the window. Johnny shrugged and stepped inside.

Mike gave them a quick tour and indicated where he wanted them to place certain boxes. They quickly got to work and soon had all the boxes unloaded. Thirty minutes later they were on there way back to Mike's old apartment to load up the last of his things. With the apartment cleared out, they helped finish cleaning the apartment. While Mike did a walk though with the manager, they stood around visiting by their vehicles.

Once again they convoyed back to Mike's new apartment and got to work unloading his furniture and the remaining boxes. As they came and went Johnny pointed out the little girl to the others and they all stared to smile and wave at her. Soon it became a game. Every time one of the men walked by they would smile and wave a free hand or wink at her and she would smile in return and duck out of the window every time.

Soon all of Mike's belongings were inside his new apartment and everyone stopped to relax and have a beer. The men were perched on various flat surfaces, drinking their beer and visiting, when Johnny caught site of the little girl peeking around the open door way. "Hey Mike, you have a visitor." The little girl quickly turned and dashed away making the men laugh at her antics.

After they had all finished their beer, Mike thanked them for all their help and sent them off to enjoy the rest of their time off.

Mike stepped back into the apartment. As his eyes scanned the living room, he asked himself, "_Where to start first_." He decided to hang up his clothing first and then put the kitchen in order. While working, he heard a sound coming from the kitchen and went to investigate. When he stepped into the living room he noticed that the front door was opened. Then he saw the little girl from next door going through the boxes in the kitchen. "Hey, get out of that!" He shouted at her. The little girl turned and ran from the apartment with Mike following behind. As he reached the door way he saw the little girl dash down the steps and around the corner of the building.

As he watched the place where she rounded the corner and disappeared, one of his other neighbors approached him and welcomed him to the apartment complex. "Hi, my name is Rita," the older woman introduced herself, "I see you have met Alisha. You'll want to keep your door locked because she is always getting into things."

Mike shook Rita's hand and thanked her for the warm welcome and asked, "Where are her parents?"

"Well her mother works during the day and her step-father is supposed to be keeping an eye on her but he works graveyards and so more often then not he's sleeping." Rita explained.

"Has any one talked to her parents about her going into other people's apartments?"

"Yes, but it doesn't do any good."

Mike thanked her for the advice and stepped back into the apartment, locking the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

**Good Samaritan or Nosy Old Bitty**

As Roy and Johnny came into the kitchen at the first of the shift Johnny greeted Mike who was sitting at the table drinking his coffee and reading the news paper. "So are you all settled?"

Mike nodded, as he sipped his coffee.

"Are you still playing peek-a-boo with your little neighbor?" Roy inquired with a grin on his face.

Mike shook his head, "I haven't seen much of her since I chased her out of my apartment."

"What?" Johnny asked.

"After you guys left the other day, I was in my bedroom putting things away when I heard someone in the other room, as I stepped out of the bedroom I caught her going through some of my boxes in the kitchen."

She's probably just curious," Roy said. "I'm sure if you talk with her and her parents it won't happen again."

Shaking his head he said, "One of my other neighbors told me that she is always getting into the other apartments. And that her parents have been told about it but nothing has changed. They recommend keep my door locked."

"Well I think you should try talking to her parents," Roy said. Mike just shrugged his shoulders.

"If she isn't taught right then as she gets older she will get into more and more trouble. You would be helping her out in the long run."

"Helping who out?" Chet asked as he and Marco walked into the kitchen.

"Alisha," Mike said, "The little girl that lives next door to me."

"What about her?" Chet asked.

"She came into my apartment with out being invited and was going through my stuff. Roy thinks I should talk to her parents." Mike explained.

"Bad idea Mikey," Chet said. "You don't want to get involved with somebody's kid."

"He won't really be getting involved," Roy corrected. "He just needs to inform her parents so they can better instruct her."

"I think Chet's right, keep your door locked and ignore her." Marco advised.

Mike quietly considered the information as Cap called for lined up and roll call.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Around mid morning the tones sound, _"Station fifty-one, child trapped, forty-seven eighty-five Wellford Rd. time out 10:23._

As they neared the seen Roy and Johnny saw an older woman waving them over. "Please hurry, the poor little boy's got himself into a bad predicament." Captain Stanley and Roy quickly followed the woman, while Johnny grabbed the bio-phone and the drug box and Chet grabbed the oxygen and followed. The woman led them down around an embankment near her home as she explained. "I told Trevor not to play around that old drainage pipe it's so old and rusted and the ground above it is not stable either. I try to keep an eye out for him and his sister Trina. Their mother works and their older sister is supposed to be watching them but she doesn't do a very good job of it."

"Yes ma'am," Cap acknowledged.

"Earlier today, while I was hanging my laundry out, I saw Trevor and Trina playing near the old culvert. They like to slide down this hill on the loose dirt and play in the soft dirt around it. It was already in the process of collapsing," the older woman said as she shook her head. "I told them it wasn't safe and that they needed to go home. Well any how, when I came out to check my laundry, I heard Trina crying and I went to investigate." At that point the woman pointed to the side of the embankment and two little legs sticking out of the ground. "Trina was trying to dig him out. I pulled her away and took her into my house and called you guys."

As soon as Roy saw the little legs he ran over and dropped to his knees next to them and began digging with his hands. "Trevor can you hear me?" He called out. His hands struck the old rusted culvert pipe and he could see that the metal had jagged edges that could cut someone if they weren't careful. As he dug, more dirt began falling from the side of the embankment. Roy stopped digging. Then he noticed movement of the little boy's feet and he stopped to listen, hearing a frightened whimper he called out. "Everything's going to be okay Trevor. We're going to get you out of there soon. Just relax and don't move."

"What do you think Roy?" Cap inquired

"Well Cap, it looks like the old metal has collapse with the falling dirt trapping the boy inside. I can hear him crying, so I believe he is in a pocket or section that hasn't collapsed yet. This metal is really old I don't know what it looks like further in. We'll need to proceed with caution."

Captain Stanley turned to Chet and Marco, "We need to shore up this area to keep more dirt from coming down on top of the boy while we are digging him out." Both men turned and hurried back up to the fire truck to retrieve the needed equipment.

Thirty minutes later they had the boy out. He was frightened and dirty and had a cut on the back of his leg from the culvert. Vince was able to get a hold of the boy's mother, with the help of the older woman, and she would be meeting them at Rampart. The staff there would check him over, have the cut cleaned and stitched up, and probably give him a tetanus shot.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As everyone gathered at the table for lunch, Roy commented, "That little boy is lucky Mrs. Avery was willing to get involved. Who knows how long it would have taken for help to arrive and his little sister might have made things worse or gotten buried too. I think it's important for everyone to get involved when children are concerned."

"Come off it Roy," Chet said. "Mrs. Avery is just a nosy old woman who pokes her nose into everybody else life. You heard her carry on about the children and their home life and everyone else in the neighborhood too. When I was growing up the old bitty in my neighborhood was Mrs. Stott. She was always yelling at the neighborhood kids telling them what not to do. Everyone hated her. I'm sure that with a little thought, you guys could name your own neighborhood bitty."

"Old Janie Cooper," Johnny said with a nod of his head.

"Grumpy Mr. Perez," Marco said. "He was so mean. He was always tell us kids what to do."

"See," Chet said, "No one likes old busy bodies. Just because she was able to help the Gunderson kids today, doesn't change the fact that she's a busy-body who meddles in other peoples lives."

"All I'm saying is that the Gunderson kids benefited today," Roy reiterated.

Mike thought about what Roy and Chet were arguing about. He decided that Rita fulfilled the roll of the "old bitty" in his apartment complex, which meant he didn't need to get involved with Alisha.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

**Observations**

Over the next two months, Mike would see Alisha form time to time. He even noticed that she was watching him. He would see her watching in her window when he came home. Then later on he noticed that she was in the window watching him when he left for work too. Unfortunately he was also aware of her trying the door knob some times, after he got home. There was also a time or two when he saw her hanging around the apartment complex on his days off. She was always very shy and when ever Mike spoke to her or gave her a smile, she would duck her head or run off. Often when he saw her she was wearing dirty clothing, in need of some mending; and her hair was rarely brushed out leaving it looking like a snarled mess.

One thing that bugged Mike was the fact that he only rarely saw the little girl's mother and when he was aware of the step-father, he was usually yelling at the little girl. Before long, Mike started feeling sorry for the little girl and he would wonder if there was anything he could do to help but then Chet's word would ring in his head and he brushed the idea out of his mind. But there were other times when Roy's advice would be ringing in his head too. He finally decided to watch and see how the other tenants from the complex interacted with Alisha. It didn't take long for him to see that she was ignored most of the time and when they did acknowledge her presents, they were usually scolding her.

Soon the summer was coming to a close and schools started up again, this meant that Alisha was not around as much.

One morning as Mike was leaving to go to work, he noticed Alisha was standing near the road. Mike assumed she was waiting for her school bus. When he drove past her he noticed that her eyes were red and there were tracks on her face indicating she had been crying.

That day at work, Mike's thoughts kept wandering back to the little girl and he often wondered if there was any thing he could do to help ensure the little girl could have a better life. With out getting involved that is. What ever he did it would have to be done in secret. He was worried that if her parents found out he was soft; they would come looking for more assistance from this generous man.

After lunch he made a point of catching Roy alone back in the looker room. "Roy, I was wondering if you could give me some advice?"

"Sure Mike what can I do for you?"

"Do your remember Alisha, the little girl from my apartment complex?" Roy nodded. "Well I've been keeping an eye out for her and I've noticed that she's not cared for very well. I would really like to help in some way but I'm not sure how. Do you have any ideas?"

Roy pondered the question for a moment then asked, "Do you think she needs the services of Health and Welfare?"

Mike didn't even want to consider getting that involved as Chet's words on the subject rang fresh in his mind. "No I don't think so. I was hoping to do something anonymously."

"Well . . . " Mike could see he was thinking on the matter and he waited to see what he would say. However that opportunity was ended with the sound of the tones. _Squad fifty-one, possible heart attack victim, twenty-four thirty-two Eagle Heights road, cross street, Panoramic View, time out 14:23._

The squad was kept busy the rest of that day and it wasn't until after lights out that Johnny and Roy where back to the station for any length of time that would have allowed Mike to speak with Roy again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Everyone was wakened by the blaring of the tones and the lights coming on. _Station fifty-one, Station one-ten, Engine two-fifteen, structure fire thirty-five ninety-eight Belmont St., Cross Street Buena Vista. Time out 1:06. _

All the men flung their blankets off and slipped their feet into their waiting boots and turn out pant and moved towards the bay, while pulling their suspenders over their shoulders. Mike hurried over to the driver's side of Big Red, quickly pulling on his over coat and helmet. Slipping behind the steering wheel, he started the engine. He was rolling forward as Captain Stanley shut the passenger's side door, with the squad in the lead.

As they pulled up to the fire, Mike saw that it was an old abandoned warehouse, with flames visible on the north side of the building. Mike stopped the truck by the nearest hydrant and watched through the side mirrors as Chet and Marco hopped down and ran to the back of the truck. He watched as they pulled the supply line hose around the hydrant and he pulled forward, closer to the fire. Parking the big rig, he hopped out and quickly hooked up the supply line ensuring that there would be a consent supply of water to the pumps on the engine. Then he started priming the lines in preparation of fighting the fire. Once all the hoses where in use and the gages were reporting stable pressure, Mike hurried over to the squad. After laying out one of the yellow blankets, he pulled out the bio-phone, oxygen, and drug box. With that finished he ran back to Big Red and continued to monitor the gages while keeping an eye on Cap for any further instructions that may come up.

A few minutes later Mike saw Roy and Johnny coming out of the burning building. Roy was carrying a young child and Johnny had a woman over his shoulders. Mike quickly checked his gages, seeing that they were stable. He ran over to see if they needed any help. Roy had oxygen on the little girl and was taking her vitals. Johnny, seeing his approach called out, "Get the oxygen off of the engine." Mike quickly returned with the second oxygen tank and knelt by the woman's head. He quickly put the mask over the woman's face and turned it on, while Johnny was working on her vitals. Seeing that he was not needed, Mike returned back to Big Red and checked his gages. Every thing was good. Moments later, he heard Johnny trying to comfort the woman. She had regained consciousness and was worried about her daughter and was fighting to get to her. He ran over and helped hold her still while Johnny assured her that her daughter was getting the best of care. The woman finally relaxed and allowed Johnny to continue caring for her. Mike asked, "Do your need any more help." Johnny took a moment to consider the offer, and then shook his head. Mike returned back to his gages.

As the ambulance was pulling in close, the driver inadvertently drove over one of the hoses causing pressure to build up in the lines. Mike instantly recognized the pressure increase and turned to look around to see what might be the cause. As soon as he was facing away from the truck the hose line from one of the engines pump ruptured, a few feet in front from him. The high water pressure hit Mike, slamming him against the knobs and gages of the fire engine, leaving him breathless and stunned. The remaining end of the hose, still attached to the engine's pumps flipped about continually striking him and dowsing everyone within range.

Captain Stanley saw what was happening and that his engineer was in trouble. Quickly he dashed in to help get the pumps turned off. Working together they turned the pump off and quickly replaced the ruptured hose line and got the pressure back up to working levels.

"Are you okay?" Cap asked, after the excitement was over.

"Yea, just got the wind knocked out of me." He said breathlessly. Cap considered the information for a minute while eyeing him, then nodded his head and turned his attention back to the fire.

It took the rest of the night to get the fire under control and everything loaded back up.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

**A Painful Awakening**

It was 8:42 when Mike backed the engine into the bay. Everyone was stiff and sore and tired as they climbed down off the rig. B-shift had arrived and was waiting to step in as soon as A-shift returned. The tired and sore men moved into the locker room to clean up and then go home.

Roy had seen the latter part of the hose rupture and took a moment to ask, "Is everything okay? Where you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Roy questioned.

"Just a few bumps and bruises was all." With that Roy was satisfied and turned his attention to changing into his street cloths.

"Hey Roy, how is the little girl and her mother?" Chet asked.

"They're going to be okay," Roy answered. Then he hung his head and said, "The poor woman was hiding from an abusive boy friend and had set up a living place in that old building." Roy explained. "She was very upset that she had inadvertently put her daughter into danger yet again. She thought she was protecting her by providing a roof over her head."

"As soon as Dixie heard her story, she stepped right in and made sure she received help from Health and Welfare and the police." Johnny said.

"I don't know why people always think the worst of programs like that." Roy mused aloud. Their main purpose it to help people back on their feet so they can care for their family properly."

There was some half hearted acknowledgment from everyone, followed by silence as they finished changing. Then one by one they said their goodbyes and headed out to their vehicles and on to their homes.

During the drive home Mike considered Roy's final statement. He wondered, since they hadn't had an opportunity to talk more maybe that was his way of telling him what he thought Mike should do, as far as Alisha was concerned.

He pulled into the parking lot of his apartment complex and stepped out of his truck. It was then that he realized just how tired he was and decided to put the problem aside until after a long nap. Slowly he climbed the stairwell and headed to his apartment. After unlocking the door he walked in dropped his bag on the floor, shoved the door closed, mindlessly walked into his room and sat down on the bed. He bent over to take his shoes off but his back protested. He sat up straight and stretched testing the muscles and the pain back off. He lay back on the bed and by using his toes at the back of the shoes, removed them. He was so tired that he grabbed his pillow, pulling it under his head and quickly drifted off to sleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mike awoke with a constant radiating pain that coursed down his legs and up into his shoulders and neck. He cried out in pain, confused after being woken from a sound sleep in this manner. Slowly, understanding came to him, he was in his bedroom lying on his stomach in bed and he hurt. He concentrated on relaxing. Slowly the pain backed off as he willed his muscles to relax even more. After a few minutes the pain had subsided some and he tried to roll over. He had no more begun to move when the pain lashed out anew through his body. "_What did I do?" _He asked himself. _"Better_ yet _what am I going to do to get help?" _After lying still again the pain subsided some and he turned his head to look at the alarm clock. With that small movement the pain increased. Each time he tried to move the pain came back with increasing intensity and it took longer for him to relax enough to back it off. Finally it got to the point where he was afraid to move, this made him stiffen up which aggravated the muscle making things worse. Soon Mike lost track of time. Awareness of his surrounding faded with the pain to the point that there was only him and the pain, nothing else.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Alisha stepped off the bus dragging her jacket behind her as she walked up the stairs towards her step-father's apartment. She didn't want to go in, Cliff was always mean to her and she didn't like him. She sat on the steps and though about other things. Foremost in her mind was her hunger. She knew that dinner wouldn't come until her mother got home sometime after eight o'clock and that was still five hours away. She also knew that Cliff would not let her get anything to eat until then. Driven by her hunger, the little girl walked over to the closest door and tried the knob, locked. Slowly, she moved on to the next door, and then the next. When she reached Mike's door she found it unlocked. She quickly looked around to make sure no one was watching her then she slipped inside and shut the door. She stopped and listened. There was no indication of any one being home so she crept over to the refrigerator and opened the door. Her mouth watered as she picked up an apple. She stepped back and closed the door and took a bite. At that moment Mike let out a cry of pain as his muscles were hit by another spasm. Alisha froze as she listened, "_Does he know I'm here?_" She asked herself. Then she heard the man moan. "_It sounded like he was hurt_. _I need to leave._" Alisha moved towards the door when she heard him moan again. "_Dose he need help?" _She wondered. She knew want it was like to hurt and to be alone, but she wasn't supposed to be in his apartment. Again she turned to leave but as she raised her hand to open the door she heard him moan for the third time. "_He needs help, maybe I can help him." _Slowly she walked towards the bedroom. She was afraid, yet something urged her to move forward. As she stepped into the open doorway she saw the man lying on the bed. His face was white and he was sweating all over. Cautiously she walked over to the bed and asked, "Are you okay mister?"

Mike barley registered the voice, all he was aware of was the fact that someone was there. "Please . . . call . . . . fire department." He begged.

"I don't know the number."

"By the phone . . . . in kitchen . . . . , please hurry."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

**A Call for help**

Alisha hurried to the kitchen. There on the wall by the phone was a list of names and phone numbers. Alisha dragged one of the table chairs over to the phone. Then she studied the list. In school they had just been talking about safety and that everyone needed to know there phone number and address so if they got lost or needed help they could tell an adult the correct information. Though she wasn't very good at reading she did recognized the word fire on the list. She picked up the phone and dialed the number, after a couple of rings someone on the other line said.

"Fire department, station fifty-one, this is Captain McGuire speaking."

Alisha was scared. She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything at first. "Is anyone there?" Cap asked.

With a small voice Alisha said, "The man is hurt and he needs help."

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you could you speak up please."

"The man is hurt and needs help. He told me to call this number so I did."

"That's good sweetheart, can you tell me what your name is?"

"Alisha."

"Well Alisha, I'm glad you called for help, now can you tell me your address?"

Alisha gave the man her address just has she had practiced it at school. "Good girl. Help is on the way."

Alisha hung up the phone and walked back to the man and told him. "The captain said help was coming."

Mike didn't say any thing in response. After a minute, Alisha walked around the bed so she could see his face better. "I'm sorry you're hurt. Are you going to be okay?"

Mike opened his eyes and looked into the frightened little face. "You did . . . good, . . . . thanks."

Alisha smiled. She stayed with Mike until she heard the sirens. Then she hurried to the front door and yelled to the men as they stepped out of their truck. "He's up here." Dwyer and Peters hurried up the stairs and followed the little girl into the bed room. They were shocked to find out that there patient was Mike Stoker, a fellow fireman.

With one look Dwyer new that Stoker was in bad shape. "Hey buddy, can you tell me where you hurt?"

"My back . . . . spasms."

Alisha stood back and watched as the two men worked on the other man.

"Okay Mike take it easy, we will contact Rampart and get you some relief as soon as we can." Peters opened the bio-phone and proceeded to call Rampart, while Dwyer worked at gathering vitals.

"Rampart this Squad fifty-one how do your read?"

"Go ahead fifty-one." Dr. Early's voice responded.

"Rampart we have a male approximately 30 years old, suffering from severe muscle spasms from his back. Rampart, be advised the patient is Fireman Stoker."

"Understood fifty-one do you have his vitals?" Peters looked over to Dwyer.

"Blood pressure is 160 over 110, pulse is 120 and respirations are 27." Peters repeated the information.

"Fifty-one, do you know how long he has been in pain?"

"Mike how long have you been this way," Peters asked. While Dwyer cut off his shirt.

"A . . . long . . . time."

Pulling the shirt away from his back, Dwyer found three large bruises, from where Mike had been slammed into the gages and knobs of the fire truck. "Mike, when did this happen?"

"Last night . . . . hose . . burst. . . . . please . . . stop . . . . pain."

"Rampart, patient has been suffering for a while. He has three large bruises on his back. The first is just over his right scapula, another on the left side of his spine, mid back and the third just under the second on the right side. Patient say's he got them last night while fighting a fire. Rampart he is begging for pain relief."

"Ten-four, fifty-one. Administer IV-D5W with 2 milligrams of Valium, and check vitals again."

"IV-D5W with 2 milligrams of Valium, ten-four Rampart."

Peters pulled out the IV bag and tubing and prepped it while Dwyer started the IV. "Pain relief is on the way buddy, hang in there." When they finished with the IV, Dwyer re-took Mike's vitals.

"Rampart patients vitals are now BP 145/ 90 pulse is 98 and respirations are 24." Informed Peters

"Sound good fifty-one, go ahead and transport." With the affects of the medication Mike drifted into unconscious.

"Mister is he going to be okay?" Alisha asked.

"Yes! Are you the one who called for help?" Dwyer asked.

Alisha nodded her head. "That's good, you did the right thing."

The ambulance pulled up and Peters stepped to the door and waved. "Up here." People had gathered around, drawn out of their apartments by the sirens, and were standing around the door way. One of them was Cliff. When Cliff saw Alisha walk out of the apartment, he reached over and grabbed her by her arm, yanking her away. "What were you doing in there? Get home now." He said as he shoved her towards his apartment.

Dwyer noticed how ruff the man was with the little girl and stopped to intervene. "Excuse me Mr.?"

"Dalton, Cliff Dalton."

"Mr. Dalton, your little girl was a big help today and she wasn't in the way at all."

"You stay out of my business, and I'll stay out of yours." Cliff growled as he turned and entered his apartment and slammed the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

**A Friend**

Mike woke up, his mind in a fog. He didn't know where he was at first but then comprehension came along with the memory of his ordeal. At the present the pain was not too bad. He was thirsty though. He saw the glass of water on the tray next to his bed but was reluctant reach for it. However after a few minutes his thirst convinced him to try. Slowly he reached out for the glass and was relived the movement hadn't caused more pain.

Mike was returning his cup to the tray, when the door opened and Captain Stanley stuck his head in. Seeing that Mike was awake he stepped into the room. "Hey Pal how you feeling?"

"I've been better."

"You had me worried there when Dixie called to tell me you had been brought into the emergency."

"Well I don't mind admitting, I was worried about a few things myself."

Cap smiled and stepped over to the foot of the bed and sat down. "I need you to promise me, next time some thing like this happens you will let Roy or Johnny check you over."

Mike nodded his head "I promise. I don't ever want to go through that again."

The door opened again and in walked Doctor Early. "I see you're awake, how do you feel?"

"Much better," Mike said with a sigh. "When can I go home?"

"Well we want to keep you overnight for observation and to ensure you take it easy and give your back muscles a chance to relax."

"How long will he be laid up Doc?" Cap asked.

"It's going to take some time, a week or too. His muscles where all in knots, by the time he was brought in. It's going to take some rest and physical therapy to get those muscles to fully relax and get back to normal."

Cap nodded and turned to Mike. "Well is there anything I can get for ya pal?"

"No I'm fine."

"Give me a holler when you're ready to get out of here."

"Thanks Cap, I will."

"We need to let him rest now." Doctor Early said.

Cap said goodbye and both men left the room, and Mike relaxed easily falling back to sleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On the day after, later in the afternoon, Mike was released. He was feeling better and the pain was gone, though he was tired. Doctor Early said that the medication he was taking would cause drowsiness. "But that is good, because what you need now is to rest and relax."

Cap picked him up and drove him to his apartment. As he was walking him up to his door he asked, "Are you going to be okay on your own Mike?"

"Yea, no problem, the pain is gone and I promise I'll take it easy."

"Well give us a holler if you need any thing."

Mike thanked Cap and stepped into his apartment. Closing the door behind him, he moved to lock it but changed his mind and left it unlocked. Then he sat down on the couch and made himself comfortable. It didn't take long before he heard someone trying the door knob, he watched as the door opened and the little girl stuck her head in.

"Hi, come on in." Mike told the little girl.

Alisha came into the apartment just enough to be able to shut the door behind her. She was wearing a sleeveless top and a pair of pants with a hole in the knee and her hair looked like it needed a good brushing. "I wanted to thank you for helping me the other day."

Alisha nodded her head and asked, "Are you all better."

"Yes! Could you come closer please? I would like to get to know you a little better, now that we're friends."

Alisha stood still while she considered the request but after a few moments she slowly walked over to the couch, keeping the arm of the couch between Mike and her self. As she came closer Mike noticed a large bruise on her upper arm.

"Your name is Alisha right?"

She nodded her head.

"Well Alisha, my name is Mike. How old are you?"

"Six."

"Looks like you got hurt too." Mike pointed to her arm. "How did that happen?"

Alisha shrugged her shoulders.

"Alisha I want you to know, I'm not mad at you for coming into my apartment the other day. However, I think that next time it would be better if you knocked first, and I don't want you coming in when I'm not here, is that agreeable."

Alisha once again nodded her head.

"Can you tell me why, you came into my apartment?"

Alisha ducked her head and in a soft voice she said, "I was hungry."

Someone pounded on the door, making both Mike and Alisha jump. Mike got up and opened the door.

"Is my kid over here?" Cliff demanded to know.

Mike turned around to look at the young girl and found she had hid somewhere. Turning back to the man he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Nope."

Cliff tuned and walked off grumbling under his breath. Mike closed the door and said. "It's okay he's gone now."

Alisha stood up from behind the couch and looked up at Mike. He could see fear in her eyes. "Did Cliff give you that bruise?" Alisha dropped her head and didn't answer. But for Mike, he had his answer.

"So are you hungry, would you like a snack?"

Alisha quickly looked up. There was a light in her eyes that had not been there before. And she nodded her head and smiled.

"Well then, let's go see what I've got in the kitchen." Mike held out his hand to the little girl and she took it and followed him into the kitchen.

Later, after sharing peanut butter on crackers, Alisha went home.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

**Take it easy, Ya Twit.**

Though it had been a little over two months since he had moved, he still wasn't completely unpacked. He decided he could do that with out straining too much, so for the rest of the day he unpacked. He pulled his books out and put them on the book shelf, which up until now had stood empty. Then he moved into the kitchen and put away some dishes and things that he rarely used, storing them in the upper shelves of the cupboards. When that was done it was time for dinner. Mike fixed himself a frozen burrito with canned chili on top. After he washed the dishes, he settled down in front of the TV for an hour. Fighting to keep his eyes open he decided to skip his evening medication and go straight to bed. It's not like he really needed it he reasoned with himself. He hadn't done much that day and his muscles were only a little stiff.

In the middle of the night Mike again awoke in pain. He lay there and worked to relax a little while he thought back on what Doctor Early had told him. "You can use a hot pad when the muscles start to tighten up again." Mike knew what would happen if he didn't get up and do something, so he forced himself to sit up and then keeping his back straight and his shoulders back, he walked over to his linen closet and retrieved his electric hot pad. First he stopped in the kitchen and took some medication. Then with the hot pad on his upper back, turned on to high and a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, he sat down in his recliner and waited for the pain to dissipate.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mike awoken the next morning to the phone ringing. He sat up, dropping the foot rest of the recliner, and moved to stand up. He was stiff and there was a new pain coming form his back. He stumbled over to answer the phone. "Hello," he said with a raspy voice.

"Just calling to see how you are doing." It was Captain Stanley.

"Uuumm," Mike said as he struggled to finish waking up. "What time is it?"

"It's around ten am. It's been a busy morning and this is the first chance I've had to check in on you."

Mike subconsciously rolled his shoulders to relax the stiff muscles and felt a stinging pain coming from his back. "Not to good." He replied "I had some more problems last night and this morning there is something else wrong."

"Take it easy Mike. I'm send Johnny and Roy over to check on you." It took a moment for that to register in his sleepy brain.

"I don't think that is necessary Cap. It may be nothing at all, just give me a few minutes to wake up and figure things out." Mike shook his head a little and concentrated his thoughts on his back. This new pain wasn't caused by muscle spasms, it was some thing else. With his right arm he reached around to touch his back. His skin was hot and pain full to the touch. He quickly looked over to the recliner and realized the heating pad was still on high and had been that way throughout the night. He swore.

"What's wrong Mike?" Cap asked.

"I think I've burned my back with a heating pad."

"Take it easy, we'll be there is a little bit." Then before Mike had a chance to protest, Cap hung up the phone. He walked over to one of his kitchen chairs and sat down sideways so his back would not make contact with the back of the chair and waited for the Calvary.

About seven minutes later Mike heard sirens, plural. He groaned. Both the squad and the fire engine were responding. He stood up and walked over to the door, opening it just as Roy was ready to knock. "Hi, come on in." He said as he turned and walked back to the chair. Roy followed and set the drug box and the bio-phone down on the table and began examining Mike's back.

"Looks like first and second degree burns." He told Cap, who was now also standing in his living room.

"Better call an ambulance." Roy suggested.

"Marco, grab me a blanket out of the squad will ya." Johnny said.

Roy turned to set up the bio-phone while Johnny took Mike's blood pressure.

"Rampart this is squad fifty-one."

"Go ahead fifty-one," Dixie responded.

Rampart, we have a male victim 32 years of age. Patient fell asleep on a heating pad turned on high.

He is suffering first and second degree burns over forty percent of his back.

"Ten-four fifty-one cover wounds and treat with saline solution. Do you have vitals on the patient?" Roy looked over to Johnny and he replied. BP 130 over 90, pulse is 110 and respirations are 22. Roy repeated the information while Marco returned with a yellow blanket and laid it out on the floor.

Johnny asked Mike, "When did you last take your medication and how much?"

"I don't know sometime in the middle of the night I took one valium and one prescription pain killer." Roy passed the information to Dixie.

"Fifty-one start IV-D5W and transport as soon as possible," Doctor Brackett's voice instructed.

"IV-D5W and transport, ten-four Rampart." Roy acknowledged.

Johnny signaled Cap to come help. "Help me get him lying face down on the blanket. Once he was settled, Johnny applied the serial dressings and poured the saline solution over them, while Roy started the IV. They were just finishing up when the ambulance arrived.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The ambulance stopped at the emergency room doors and Roy hopped out, turning to help unload Mike. Dixie was waiting for them and said "Room two, Roy." As they pushed the gurney past her she realized their patient was Mike Stoker. "So Mike, when did you decide to emulate Johnny? Are we going to see you more often in the emergency room?"

"I hope not."

In the examination room Doctor Brackett asked, "Tell me what happened, Mike?"

"I fell asleep with the hot pad on high."

"And before that what did you do."

"I took it easy most of the day. At bed time I wasn't hurting to much, so I skipped my meds and went to bed. Some time during the night I woke up with more muscle spasms. I got up took some medication and sat down in the recliner with the hot pad on my back and fell asleep."

Roy watched Bracket as he considered Mike's chart. Then he asked, "Tell me exactly what you did yesterday after you got home until the time you went to bed.

"After Cap dropped me off, one of my neighbors made a visit. After she left I worked on unpacking the last of my stuff and putting it away. But I was carful not to lift any thing too heavy."

Roy saw the understanding show in Brackett's eyes. "But you did a lot of bending over and reaching up high didn't you."

"Yah, how did you know that?" Mike asked.

"While bending over and reaching with your arms above your head you are using the very muscles you were supposed to be resting."

"Oh."

Doctor Brackett had Mike admitted and they kept him for three day so he could rest and they could monitor and care for his burns.

After being released he stayed with his folks who lived on the other side of Los Angeles until he was ready to go back to work. It had taken 3 weeks of resting and physical therapy before he was given the okay to return back to work.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8**

**Time to Return the Favor**

Mike returned home two days prior to his first shift back. Around two-thirty pm, there came a knock at his door. Mike was pretty sure he knew who it was. Sure enough the door opened revealing Alisha.

"Hi Alisha, would you like to come in," Mike asked as he stepped aside to allow her to come in."

Alisha stepped in just far enough for Mike to close the door. Since it had been a while since they had been together, Mike didn't want to make her feel uneasy. He walked over and sat down on the couch. "How are you," Mike asked.

Alisha approached the couch again keeping the arm of the couch between her and Mike, like she had done before. Instead of answering Mike's question she asked, "Are you feeling better?"

Mike smiled and answered, "Yes, I'll be returning to work tomorrow."

Alisha nodded her head and looked over to the kitchen. "Got anything to eat?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure, I have some bananas would you like one?" Mike asked.

Alisha nodded her head vigorously. Mike smiled as he stood and headed for the kitchen with the little girl following. Mike had made sure he always had something special for Alisha to eat after school when he was home.

This continued for a week except for days when Mike had to work, and Alisha was showing more trust in him. After school she would knock and Mike would let her in. Then they would sit at the table and eat their snack. He always had a snack ready for her each day. As they ate together, Mike would ask her about her day at school. Alisha would start babbling on about this and that with a big smile on her face. This warmed Mike's heart. However he kept assuring himself that he wasn't getting too involved, but was still able to help the little girl.

Three day's later, Tuesday; Alisha didn't come to his door. At first Mike thought that she may have thought he wasn't home. So he looked around the complex for her, knowing she hated to go into her step-father's home until she had too. But he didn't find her.

On Wednesday, Mike watched for the bus to drop her off but it didn't stop. "_That must mean that Alisha was not at school today._ _Maybe she has been sick." S_o he let it pass. On Thursday, he had to work but he was looking forward to Alisha's visit on Friday. He had missed the interaction with the little girl.

Friday afternoon, Mike again watched for the little girl to get off the bus and again the bus didn't stop. Mike began to worry about her. He knew her step-father Cliff would not provide the best of care for a sick child. Finally he convinced himself go over and check on Alisha. He knocked on the door. It took some time but finally the door opened. What Mike saw devastated him. Alisha's left eye was swollen shut and there were other bruises visible on her exposed legs and arms. "What happened?" Mike asked as he knelt down in front of the little girl.

Before Alisha could answer, Cliff's voice boomed out as he entered the living room. Swearing, Cliff told Mike it was none of his business and that he needed to leave and quit interfering. He took two steps towards the door grabbed Alisha by the arm and yanked her away, slamming the door in Mike's face. Mike was no longer worried about getting involved. He has seen enough that little girl was hurt and needed medical attention. He hurried to his apartment and called for a squad.

Again it was Dwyer and Peters, Mike met them as they came up the stair well and told them what he had seen and witnessed. Dwyer remembered how the man had treated the little girl when they had been there the last time. The three men stepped over to the door and knocked. But there was no answer. Dwyer knocked loudly again and declared, "Fire Department." The door flung open and Cliff stood in the door way.

"There's no fire here, get lost."

Dwyer, didn't back off. "We received a call about a little girl who was injured."

"What of it!"

"Then there is an injured girl here?" Dwyer said.

"She's all right, she just fell out of bed." He glared at Mike as he said, "I didn't ask for you to come and your not welcomed so get lost." With that he slammed the door. Dwyer turned and looked at Mike. "Sorry Mike, you know we can't go in there with out his consent and even if we did get a hold of the little girl we wouldn't be able to treat her with out the father's or mother's consent."

Mike knew that was true. He thanked them for coming and returned to his apartment. He was heartbroken that he couldn't help her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that night, Mike was reading in his bedroom, when he heard a knock at the door. He hurried to the door and opened it. There stood Alisha.

Tears came to Mike's eyes as he quickly brought her in and closed the door. Kneeling at her side he asked, "What happened to you?"

Alisha dropped her head and mumbled, "I fell of the bed." Then she looked right at him and said, "Mike my arm really hurts, can you make it feel better?" Mike couldn't take this any longer. He knew Cliff had hurt this little girl. Some how he needed to get her some help. Then he thought of Roy, he would know what to do. Mike quickly pulled on a pair of sweats pants and a shirt and carefully wrapped Alisha in a blanket and put her in his truck and hurried over to Roy's home.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9**

**A Little Intervention**

It was eleven o'clock at night. Roy was upstairs in his bedroom reading, when he heard the door bell ring. "I'll take care of it," he told Joanne as he put on a pair of sweats and left the room. Upon opening the door he saw Mike standing there with a blanket bundled in his arms. "Mike, what brings you here tonight?" he asked.

With out being invited, Mike pushed his way past Roy and entered the living room setting the blanket on the couch. As Roy watched he pulled the blanket back to reveal the little girl, "We need your help Roy." Roy's mouth dropped opened as his eyes moved from Mikes face to the little girl's battered face. Fear showed in her eyes as she looked up at Roy and she leaned close to Mike wrapping her arms around him.

"Mike, why did you bring her here? I can't do anything for her with out the consent of her parents."

Joanne came into the room, "Roy who was at the door this late at night." Then seeing Mike she smiled, until her eyes fell onto the child sitting next to him. She brought a hand up to her mouth as she gasped.

"Roy you asked me once if I felt that Health and Welfare was needed. Well I'm telling you it's needed and I need your help to help her." Mike quickly said before anyone could say any more.

"Please tell me what I have to do to get Alisha the help she needs."

Roy turned to Joanne, "Jo get me the first-aid kit, some warm water and wash cloths." Then he walked over to the little girl and knelt down in front of her smiling. "Hi Alisha, what happened here?" he cooed.

For the second time that day Mike watched as Alisha ducked her head and stated that she had fallen out of bed. "Well let me take a look at you sweetheart. Roy pulled the blanket away and looked the child over from head to toe. Along with her black and swollen eye, her left arm was injured, maybe broken. Joanne returned with the items that Roy had asked for and together the three of them cleaned up the little girl. After Roy finished putting a splint on her arm, he turned to Mike and said, "Now, we need to get her to Rampart." Mike bundled Alisha back up into the blanket and carried her back out to his truck. Roy turned to Joanne and said, "I need to go with him." He kissed her and thanked her for her help and left to follow in his own car.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mike carried Alisha through the emergency doors, with Roy at his side. As soon as they rounded the corner Dixie saw the two men and a smile came to her face as she moved forward to greet them. She asked, "What the occasion for this late night visit?" But as she got closer she saw the battered face of the little girl.

"Dix, Mike here has done something foolish, but I believe he had good intentions. We need yours and Doctor Brackett's help."

"Who is she?"

"She's my neighbor Dixie.

"Where are her parents? You know we can't treat her with out their consent."

Mike quickly explained how he had called for a squad earlier that day after seeing how hurt she was. "When Dwyer and Peters arrived the girl's step-father wouldn't let them in." Mike's sad eyes spoke volumes more then his voice could convey. "Tonight after her step-father had left for work she came and knock on my door. . . . I had to do something."

"We need to get the police involved. We'll need to get a court order for consent to treat."

"Then let's get the ball rolling," Roy said.

Thinking quickly, Dixie sent them into Dr. Brackett's office, while she went to find Brackett and call in the police.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

By morning Alisha had been admitted, treated and put under protective custody. Her mother, Sadie Dalton, had been contacted. She was unaware that Alisha was even missing until the police woke her up asking about the little girl. She was brought to the hospital where she gave the consent for the child to be treated. From there a radiological exam was made that reviled she had had the broken arm for three or four days. It also gave evidence that Alisha had suffered a number a broken bones, most of which had not received the proper medical care, and she was slightly malnourished.

Once she was settled into a room, Mike went and stayed with her, he owed her that much. He had already made arrangements with Cap to get someone to fill his shift and Cap was more then understanding.

Two days later, Cliff Dalton was arrested and Alisha was placed into a foster home. Health and Welfare stepped in to help Sadie to be a better mother and to give her daughter the love and attention that she had needed, so badly, for a long time. Four months later Alisha was having regular visits with her mother and would soon be returned to her care, under the watchful eye of Health and Welfare.

When all was done and said, Mike was sorry he had avoided getting involved and vowed to never again ignore the signs of child abuse and neglect.

The End

Authors note: OK now you have made it all the way through the story, it would be nice to hear what you think. Please leave at least one feedback. Thank you.


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